


[G]ravesite

by thefishingline



Category: NieR: Automata (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, For the Gathering Keepsake quest, Kinda, Post-Canon Fix-It, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-02
Updated: 2018-01-02
Packaged: 2019-02-26 06:46:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13230216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thefishingline/pseuds/thefishingline
Summary: 2B discovers her grave. 9S is 9Sheepish about it.





	[G]ravesite

The world surprised 2B with its beauty, even after the devastation of war. It hadn't been something she considered in the past. She’d never given it much thought after all. It was pointless and unnecessary to admire the scenery. The purpose of knowing the environment was all about tactical positioning, understanding the terrain and knowing how to utilize one’s surroundings to their advantage during combat.

Yet...

From the derelict city ruins, overgrown with foliage and sprawling tree roots that weaved into the old skeletons of buildings, to the desert— golden and shimmering with dry heat in its ever-shifting undulating sand dunes; the vast ocean, swallowing structures whole, the evergreen forest, lush and humid and even the rundown amusement park, 2B found herself instilled with a sense of quiet wonder at how the Earth persisted even when all else had fallen to ruin.

She and 9S had been visiting these areas one at a time, patrolling for any suspicious activities and helping the remaining resistance members collect materials for supplies. With the Bunker gone, it was all they could do to keep up with maintenance and repairs. They’d rested now in the flooded city, fishing on the top of a collapsed building with the cold, briny breeze tousling their hair.

The tip of 2B’s boot brushed against something and she glanced down. It was a white flower with luminescent petals.

“This flower. It looks familiar.”

On cue, her tactical support unit, Pod 042 spoke. “Analysis: It is a rare plant known as a Lunar Tear.”

 _Ah_ , 2B remembered now. She and 9S had helped Emil track down the locations of these flowers a long time ago. He’d led them to an underground cavern where they bloomed by the hundreds, lighting up the darkness with their soft luminous glow.

Her heart felt heavy and swollen in her chest. _6O would have liked to see it._

As if reading her thoughts, her Pod intoned, “Proposal: Unit 2B should visit the area beneath the shopping mall."

Her gaze lingered on the flower. “And why is that?” she asked.

“Hypothesis: Unit 2B has been visiting several locations of interest. It would be beneficial to visit all of them to ensure a proper investigation is carried out.”

2B was quiet for a bit. Then she said, “Pod, mark down the location of the cavern.”

“Affirmative. Marking on map.”

“Wait, you're going all the way there? Why?” 9S looked up from his fishing in surprise.

“I want to see the Lunar Tears,” she replied simply.

“Oh, er, couldn’t you just look at the one that’s already here?”

She glanced at him beside her. “No.”

“Oh, okay.” A pause. “Uh, are you sure?”

2B stood up and dusted down her skirt. “You don’t have to come along, 9S. I can travel just fine on my own.”

“No, I’ll come!” His frantic outburst startled 2B just a little. “I mean, I’d like to come. It’s just that with the Bunker gone and the transporters not working, it seems like a lot of trouble for nothing, you know?” he finished lamely.

2B watched him shuffle his feet, skimming the ground with his soles. “I see.”

And so, the pair travelled in silence, with 9S being uncharacteristically quiet. 2B’s heels kicked up loose dirt and grass as her long legs pounded a steady rhythm. 9S followed close behind, jogging a little faster to keep up with her.

When they finally crossed the bridge and into the commercial facility, 9S continued to look distant. 2B glanced at him running beside her. He was still behaving oddly. She knew him to be positively garrulous, often filling their journeys with his incessant chatter. ...not that she minded.

“Is something the matter, 9S?” she asked after a while. When he didn't respond, 2B frowned slightly. “9S?”

9S jolted and almost stumbled on a tree root. “Oh, huh? Yeah, ah, sorry 2B, I was just...thinking.”

9S was usually generous with his information but this time he didn’t provide more and 2B found herself in the peculiar position of prodding him for details. “What about?”

“Oh, er, I just thought it’s funny how the war has ended and everything but I still can’t buy you a T-shirt like I promised.” He laughed. “Maybe we should make our own?”

 _T-shirts? Was that really what he was concerned about?_ It felt like such a trivial and miniscule thing to occupy 9S’ mind. Still 2B offered him a small smile. “Whenever you’re ready, I'm all for it.”

9S flashed her a warm grin in return but fell silent again when they entered the elevator. 2B suspected he had more on his mind besides T-shirts, but she didn’t know how to bring it up and remained quiet too. They both listened to the ancient rattle of the elevator as they began their descent into the cavern.

When the doors creaked open, 2B was greeted with a beautiful sight. The cavern was just as she remembered it. Star-shaped flowers carpeted the ground, covering every inch and filling the cavern with a soft, ethereal light. A dilapidated shack from the Old World stood at the side all in its lonesome, lovingly preserved and untouched.

Though she could not explain it, 2B felt an inexplicable draw to this place. There was a quiet serenity that emanated within the hollow, filling her senses with a pervading sense of peace.

It was...beautiful.

With a sharp twinge of regret, 2B wondered why she hadn’t thought to send Operator 6O a photograph of this place before. Now it was too late.

Amongst the field of flowers however, stood something unfamiliar — a single wooden stake, washed pale by the light of the flowers. At its tip fluttered a long black cloth, wrapped neatly around. Something about it looked oddly familiar though 2B couldn’t quite place why.

“Was this here before?” she murmured.

Pod 042 promptly responded to her question. “Negative. Hypothesis: Structure was added recently.”

She felt the dark fabric between her fingers, and it suddenly it hit her why it had looked so familiar. “This is my old battle visor. What is it doing here?”

“Unknown”

“That’s strange,” she turned to look at 9S. Like before, he was unusually quiet during this exchange. Usually, he would be the first to leap at the opportunity to investigate anything new or amiss, such was his folly. He was a Scanner-type model after all. Yet right now, he seemed perfectly content to stay where he was, hovering close to the entrance.

“9S, did you know about this?”

9S shifted uneasily. “Uh, no. Not really.”

To her surprise, 9S’ Pod spoke up: “Negative. Correction: Unit 9S placed said marker on current location approximately 37 days ago. Query: Why is Unit 9S denying his involvement?”

Bewildered, 2B turned her attention back to 9S. “9S?” she asked.

He shuffled around sheepishly, running his foot through the field of luminous petals, kicking at the grass. They all watched him squirm uncomfortably for a moment longer before he finally responded.

“A...a resistance member once told me how humans had rituals to mourn their dead,” 9S explained, his voice soft and faraway. “They would lay their fallen with flowers and wish peace on their souls.”

While 9S spoke, 2B couldn't help but notice that he didn't meet her gaze. Even stranger was the faint blush that tinged his cheeks.

Very quietly he continued, “After what happened, after you were...gone.” 9S’ voice grew tight. “I..I hoped that you would find peace and rest too. Or something...something close to it. So I did this.” He gestured to the grave marker. “Maybe it’s stupid, but I felt like I had to. Or wanted to. I... I don't really remember the full details now. My head was really...fuzzy then.”

2B was stupefied. Had he really done all that, just for her? She was about to speak when 9S’ pod interrupted her. “Correction: Unit 9S has left out a crucial detail.”

“Oh really? I. Don’t. Remember,” he said through gritted teeth, glaring at his Pod.

“Affirmative. Fortunately, this unit is programmed with recording capabilities. Initiating playback.”

“W-wait, don—”

 _“2B,”_ 9S’s voice came through the soft static fuzz. There was a hollow tiredness to his voice. _“I'm not quite sure what it means to mourn or even to have a soul to concern ourselves with. But I hope you're at rest, 2B. Sweet dreams. I'll be with you before long._ End playback.”

“No,” 9S groaned, covering his face with his hand. “No, why did you do that?”

“Unit 9S mentioned that he did not remember. I simply provided assista—”

“No, nevermind. Pod 153, please shut up.” 9S practically looked like he was caving in on himself, shying away from 2B.

“9S…” He was willing to end his life...over her? 2B wasn’t sure how she felt about that, but her stomach clenched unpleasantly. At first she didn't understand why he was acting so strangely, but then she remembered her last message to him — hastily recorded in her final moments of desperation as her flight unit plummeted to the ground — and her face suddenly felt hot. She thought that perhaps she now understood. Because suddenly, she too, found it hard to meet his gaze.

This act of his...a long time ago, she had dismissed the notion of gifts to be pointless and rude. 9S had argued that it was the feelings behind the gifts that mattered instead. 2B thought that maybe, she finally understood what he meant.

"Thank you, 9S,” she said. "Perhaps gifts are not such useless rituals after all." The feeling behind it, the gesture...it touched her.

He looked at her, visibly stunned and gave her a thin, watery smile. "You… _like_ it when I erect a grave for you?" He laughed weakly. "You're so weird, 2B."

2B took mild offence to this but decided to let it slide. "The feelings behind the gesture is...acceptable." It was her turn to feel embarrassed. “Appreciated, even.”

9s had an incredulous look on his face. “I can make you other things, you know? Not just graves.” He laughed a sad laugh that brought a lump to 2B’s throat.

“Like T-shirts?”

At that, 9S broke into a tiny grin. “Yeah, like T-shirts.”

For a moment, no one spoke and the quiet hush of the cavern fell upon them, dark and intimate.

“Hey, 2B?” 9S said suddenly. “I'm really glad you're here now.” He swallowed audibly and masked it with a shaky laugh. “Like really, _really_ glad, you know? It was horrible without you around. It was truly horrible.”

His words gnawed at her chest, sharp and painful. It was strange to see 9S so subdued and meek instead of capering around with his usual tireless energy, full of curiosity and reckless abandon. He looked so small and forlorn. So...vulnerable. 2B’s fingers twitched involuntarily — muscle memory ghosting through her bones.

It would be so easy to kill him right now. To snap his neck where he stood; defenceless and vulnerable.

She could make it end swiftly — a blade to the head, to the chest, to the base of his neck — there were a multitude of ways to get the job done and 2B hated that it all came so easily, almost unthinkingly. How many times over had she considered the swiftest, most painless way to do so? She couldn’t help it. At his most vulnerable, it was all she could think of.

A tight lump rose in her throat and she clenched her fists. _No_ , she reminded herself. _There's no need. Not any more._ With YorHa gone, she didn’t have to follow her orders. She didn’t _have_ orders to follow.

But now that it was all over for good, something deep in her chest...hurt; it squeezed so tight she could hardly breathe. Her hands were dirty with innocent blood. His innocent blood. She'd never let guilt bother her before — or at least, she tried not to. How could she afford to if she were to go through with her mission over and over without end? How many times did she have to kill him? It’s been an eternity and she'd long lost count. She dared not voice her thoughts lest her Pod told her just how many times.

She swallowed hard and let out a breath she wasn't aware she was holding. Was this really alright? This whole time, acting and pretending like nothing ever happened. Could she really spend time with him like this? She wondered if he could ever forgive her. Surely he hated her?

“2B?” 9S asked hesitantly. She had let the silence drag on long enough. “Are you alright?”

Despite the tightness of her chest, she felt a sudden fondness bloom warm and true. She felt deeply for him. Emotions were no longer prohibited with the collapse of YoRHa. There was no longer a need to heed protocol. So perhaps...perhaps she could allow herself this one, previously illicit indulgence, long snuffed out and buried under the weight of her sins. To be free from her duty. To be free from her burden.

For once, perhaps she could finally get to truly know him.

As 9S continued to fidget, unbeknownst to either of them, 2B’s gaze softened behind her visor. Unthinkingly, she raised a gloved hand and rested it gently on his head, brushing his bangs aside with gentle fingers.

9S stilled beneath her hand, stiffening. He looked up at her and asked again, his voice soft and tinged with concern. “2B?”

Startled, 2B removed her hand. "I— I’m,” She jerked her hand close to her chest and turned her face away, feeling it burn. “Let's go, Nines."

With her back turned, 2B failed to see the surprise on 9S’ face melt into a small, happy smile. He nodded his head. “…yeah!”

**Author's Note:**

> This is probably my first and last fanfic I will ever write. It was excruciating and I'm always floored by people who can write fanfics so effortlessly while keeping the characters in-character. Definitely not one of my best works but...I did it and it is donE AND IT IS GONE.
> 
> It started out as a simple headcanon — I figured 9S would be uncomfortable and sheepish about 2B finding the grave he made for her, considering how he wasn't quite in his right mind when he did it and how they were both unused to openly talking about the way they feel (it's always either in a recording or when the other isn't there to listen).
> 
> Meanwhile I think 2B struggles with guilt and how it has become a reflex for her to end 9S. I feel like she won't feel like she deserves to be in his company after all her sins. And 9S won't feel like he deserves his chance of life after everything he has done. I feel like it's a possibility they would suffer from survivor's guilt. But I'm not going to explore that because I'm not the right person to xD
> 
> I tried to write 2B's narrative with her factual and detached personality so some things came off quite stilted. As with most characters, I ended up making her a little softer and to push my headcanon, I figured she was somewhat...spiritual. That's my take on it anyway. Upon writing this, I realised that everyone has different interpretations of characters and the way I see them might differ from others. Which is ok because I like how I see them too haha!
> 
> TLDR here are my fic notes:
> 
> OUTLINE  
> • Describe settings. Flower. Felt a hollow numbness when she thought of Operator 6O. She speaks her mind and doesn't say what she thinks. Pod marks down the location on the map  
> • Goes to the cavern.  
> • Describe cavern. Inexplicably drawn.  
> • 2B notices the grave marker  
> • “Was this here before?”  
> • Pod: Negative. Structure was added recently.  
> • “That is my old battle visor.”  
> • “Hmm, strange. 9S did you know about this?”  
> • 9S shifts. “Uh, no.” lol  
> • Negative: Correction: Unit 9S placed said marker on current location.  
> • 2B is questioning and 9S explains.  
> • The Pod TMIS 9S and he is embarrassed. He doesn’t look at 2B.  
> • 2B wonders why he’s acting weirdly and remembers her own last words and is embarrassed too. But she is heartened. She remembers what he said about gifts. Perhaps this was what he meant about the feelings behind a gift. She tells him she appreciates his “gift”.  
> • 9S is amused and finally looks at her, looking perplexed.  
> • 9S says he is glad she’s here now. He looks forlorn and small.  
> • She realises how easy it would be to kill him. GUILT. Thinks about how she’s constantly had to plan out how to kill him. Now that Yorha is gone she didn’t have to do it anymore.  
> • “2B?” 9S asks  
> • 2B has emotions. 2B’s gaze softens  
> • She places her hand on his head, petting him.  
> • He startles and looks up at her. 9S asks again, voice softer, tinged with concern. “Are you okay?”  
> and removes her hand. “Let’s go, Nines.”  
> • 9S is surprised but smiles at her and nods his head. “…yeah!”


End file.
